PRIMARILY EXTRACRANIAL JUGULAR FORAMEN NEURINOMA MANIFESTING WITH MARKED HEMIATROPHY OF THE TONGUE - CASE-REPORT

BACKGROUND There have been no detailed descriptions of the clinical sy mptoms of a primarily extracranial jugular foramen neurinoma (JFN), be cause this type of tumor is extremely rare. CASE DESCRIPTION Although the 51-year-old woman presented with only mild complaints of dysphagia and hoarseness, neurologic examination revealed marked left hemiatrop hy of the tongue. Although magnetic resonance imaging suggested a JFN, the patient's mild symptoms and normal jugular foramen were potential ly misleading in the diagnosis of this patient, Surgical exploration d emonstrated that the tumor originated from the extracranial portion of the 10th cranial nerve, extending into the jugular foramen. Subtotal resection ameliorated the 12th cranial nerve palsy. CONCLUSION The aut hors present a case of a primarily extracranial JFN manifesting as a 1 2th nerve palsy. The clinical symptoms and signs produced by a tumor i n this extremely rare location are discussed. (C) 1998 by Elsevier Sci ence Inc.